Finding Meaning with Voala

Blanka : I mean it like, the paper is not just a simple thing. It’s a tool for expression. It’s art, space, feelings …

Pavel : For me it’s the idea that when I take a clear piece of paper I don’t think about it as a « thing » or a « product ». There will be many stories and things which will get on paper, such as in the notebook. Even notebook without guide lines. We were looking for papers that were recycled so they have stories. We try to do many things eco-friendly. The most important is that it has some story and past. Their ways of manufacturing the product, paper factory is crafting in same way for 120 years. So there are lots of stories behind the paper.

So why not just paper ? Another important idea for us and why such a form of paper notebook, it’s because this is not just a notebook, this is a diary. Where you rewrite yourself, your thoughts, your life… so you put your imprint on the paper.

Blanka : Smart people around us were telling us « they are very thick so you can’t sell it a lot », « people will buy it and never return for another one ». Then I realised he is right but I don’t care, I just want to have this big diary.

Pavel : It’s a diary for a year, for work. For a one year diary, it has something like 240 pages I don’t write a page every day but almost! By putting our imprint on the paper, either as a creator or as a user, it’s so important. You spill it with coffee, corners get weaker and so on and that’s the sign of it. That you write through, it’s not just writing letters it reflects how you hold it in your hands. Since our notebooks are not wrapped in plastic it doesn’t get super protected. So you could wet it three times with no change… Here, it all stays with you.

Blanka : When people come and pick a notebook they show me their previous one telling me « I want this one ». And it’s always something I am not able to identify. I look at it and say … « but there were something imprinted under it » so I say « you have really beautiful notebook ». Later on, I realise it’s one of ours. So, we take pictures as well, like an album of objects. It’s continual story and people but stickers on it, because they travel around the world there are full of little papers, that’s really nice !